war is argent and it’s spectacular but it’s also personal its intimate and one
it’s also personal its intimate and one
it’s also personal its intimate and one of the things I’ve learned over the past
of the things I’ve learned over the past
of the things I’ve learned over the past few years is it’s the human moments that
few years is it’s the human moments that
few years is it’s the human moments that really count so please let me show you
really count so please let me show you
really count so please let me show you let me take you to a lap all in
let me take you to a lap all in
let me take you to a lap all in September of last year
September of last year
September of last year here you see Mohamed gennadiy he’s
here you see Mohamed gennadiy he’s
here you see Mohamed gennadiy he’s sitting on the pavement he’s standing at
sitting on the pavement he’s standing at
sitting on the pavement he’s standing at Fastlane he sits down and he’s calling
Fastlane he sits down and he’s calling
Fastlane he sits down and he’s calling out his son’s name who Sam that’s a body
out his son’s name who Sam that’s a body
out his son’s name who Sam that’s a body bag at his feet and his son is inside
bag at his feet and his son is inside
bag at his feet and his son is inside you know Aleppo was chaos but that’s an
you know Aleppo was chaos but that’s an
you know Aleppo was chaos but that’s an ordinary day people are walking around
ordinary day people are walking around
ordinary day people are walking around they’re walking past some stop and they
they’re walking past some stop and they
they’re walking past some stop and they look at him
look at him
look at him Mohamed you need he stops and very
Mohamed you need he stops and very
Mohamed you need he stops and very tenderly he opens a corner of the body
tenderly he opens a corner of the body
tenderly he opens a corner of the body bag and he speaks to his dead son inside
and he says come on son get up don’t let
and he says come on son get up don’t let the world see is like this eventually an
the world see is like this eventually an
the world see is like this eventually an ambulance comes and it picks off the
ambulance comes and it picks off the
ambulance comes and it picks off the body bag it’s a very powerful moment but
body bag it’s a very powerful moment but
body bag it’s a very powerful moment but we never actually see the corpse Mohamed
we never actually see the corpse Mohamed
we never actually see the corpse Mohamed says to no one in particular his mum’s
says to no one in particular his mum’s
says to no one in particular his mum’s going to be really angry when she heals
going to be really angry when she heals
going to be really angry when she heals about this the BBC’s middle-east editor
about this the BBC’s middle-east editor
about this the BBC’s middle-east editor Jeremy Bourne says this you don’t just
Jeremy Bourne says this you don’t just
Jeremy Bourne says this you don’t just go to Wars for the sake of it you’ve got
go to Wars for the sake of it you’ve got
go to Wars for the sake of it you’ve got to have a reason because I think it’s
to have a reason because I think it’s
to have a reason because I think it’s very intrusive prurient almost to turn
very intrusive prurient almost to turn
very intrusive prurient almost to turn up on the worst day of somebody’s life
up on the worst day of somebody’s life
up on the worst day of somebody’s life just because I want to be a war
just because I want to be a war
just because I want to be a war correspondent so why do we do it well we
correspondent so why do we do it well we
correspondent so why do we do it well we do it to bring you incite to take you to
do it to bring you incite to take you to
do it to bring you incite to take you to far-off battles the far-off places to
far-off battles the far-off places to
far-off battles the far-off places to give you a picture of lives interrupted
give you a picture of lives interrupted
give you a picture of lives interrupted waves it seems so very different from
waves it seems so very different from
waves it seems so very different from ours look at Mohamed unity
ours look at Mohamed unity
ours look at Mohamed unity I think in that moment that was maybe 20
I think in that moment that was maybe 20
I think in that moment that was maybe 20 seconds on the 10 o’clock news you learn
seconds on the 10 o’clock news you learn
seconds on the 10 o’clock news you learn more about loss and suffering in Al
more about loss and suffering in Al
more about loss and suffering in Al Airport than you would of from watching
Airport than you would of from watching
Airport than you would of from watching a hundred battles and reading a thousand
a hundred battles and reading a thousand
a hundred battles and reading a thousand words in an article you know it’s really
words in an article you know it’s really
words in an article you know it’s really wise to pay attention we aren’t immune
wise to pay attention we aren’t immune
wise to pay attention we aren’t immune from his suffering and we aren’t immune
from his suffering and we aren’t immune
from his suffering and we aren’t immune from the causes of his war he isn’t an
from the causes of his war he isn’t an
from the causes of his war he isn’t an alien species he’s one of us he’s a
alien species he’s one of us he’s a
alien species he’s one of us he’s a husband he’s a father he’s a son when
husband he’s a father he’s a son when
husband he’s a father he’s a son when you’re in the middle of a battle when
you’re in the middle of a battle when
you’re in the middle of a battle when you’re covering war lots of things go
you’re covering war lots of things go
you’re covering war lots of things go through your head it’s terrifying but we
through your head it’s terrifying but we
through your head it’s terrifying but we foreign correspondents have a dirty
foreign correspondents have a dirty
foreign correspondents have a dirty secret it’s also thrilling the things
secret it’s also thrilling the things
secret it’s also thrilling the things that go through your head sometimes it’s
that go through your head sometimes it’s
that go through your head sometimes it’s existential what the hell am I doing
existential what the hell am I doing
existential what the hell am I doing here other times it’s more mundane was
here other times it’s more mundane was
here other times it’s more mundane was my helmet straighten that last piece the
my helmet straighten that last piece the
my helmet straighten that last piece the camera but we are there we go they’re
camera but we are there we go they’re
camera but we are there we go they’re following the people leading and
following the people leading and
following the people leading and sometimes we’re on different sides in a
sometimes we’re on different sides in a
sometimes we’re on different sides in a conflict my colleagues will be covering
conflict my colleagues will be covering
conflict my colleagues will be covering one side I’ll be covering another we
one side I’ll be covering another we
one side I’ll be covering another we aren’t campaigners but we all share a
aren’t campaigners but we all share a
aren’t campaigners but we all share a fundamental belief and that’s in the
fundamental belief and that’s in the
fundamental belief and that’s in the power of witnessing even if you don’t
power of witnessing even if you don’t
power of witnessing even if you don’t like what we see let me introduce you to
like what we see let me introduce you to
like what we see let me introduce you to someone else
someone else
someone else this is Zara Arjun I met him six years
this is Zara Arjun I met him six years
this is Zara Arjun I met him six years ago in Afghanistan that meeting is
ago in Afghanistan that meeting is
ago in Afghanistan that meeting is stayed with me ever since
stayed with me ever since
stayed with me ever since here’s why I’ll show you another picture
that’s taken from a bank CCTV footage
that’s taken from a bank CCTV footage look at the smile on his face
look at the smile on his face
look at the smile on his face he’s armed to the teeth he’s just Mardan
he’s armed to the teeth he’s just Mardan
he’s armed to the teeth he’s just Mardan forty-two men women and children and
forty-two men women and children and
forty-two men women and children and that Bank in eastern Afghanistan at
that Bank in eastern Afghanistan at
that Bank in eastern Afghanistan at close range before he joined the Taliban
close range before he joined the Taliban
close range before he joined the Taliban he knew not
he knew not
he knew not he didn’t even know his own age like 16
he didn’t even know his own age like 16
he didn’t even know his own age like 16 or 18
or 18
or 18 he broke rocks by hand in a quarry I
he broke rocks by hand in a quarry I
he broke rocks by hand in a quarry I interviewed him I was close enough to
interviewed him I was close enough to
interviewed him I was close enough to touch him to look into his eyes and to
touch him to look into his eyes and to
touch him to look into his eyes and to tell him for the very first time that he
tell him for the very first time that he
tell him for the very first time that he was going to hang for his crime he was
was going to hang for his crime he was
was going to hang for his crime he was genuinely surprised and he showed no
genuinely surprised and he showed no
genuinely surprised and he showed no remorse so why let me bring this
remorse so why let me bring this
remorse so why let me bring this appalling young man there’s murderer
appalling young man there’s murderer
appalling young man there’s murderer interior setting because it was an
interior setting because it was an
interior setting because it was an important moment it was a moment of
important moment it was a moment of
important moment it was a moment of realization for me and hopefully for the
realization for me and hopefully for the
realization for me and hopefully for the audience too
audience too
audience too I realized then that Afghanistan would
I realized then that Afghanistan would
I realized then that Afghanistan would probably be a war without end that there
probably be a war without end that there
probably be a war without end that there was an unlimited supply of Zahra a jum’s
was an unlimited supply of Zahra a jum’s
was an unlimited supply of Zahra a jum’s of easily manipulated angry uneducated
of easily manipulated angry uneducated
of easily manipulated angry uneducated young men who are being fed into this
young men who are being fed into this
young men who are being fed into this war machine and it’s Scottish soldiers
war machine and it’s Scottish soldiers
war machine and it’s Scottish soldiers English French American Afghans were all
English French American Afghans were all
English French American Afghans were all dying in Afghanistan for a war that
dying in Afghanistan for a war that
dying in Afghanistan for a war that might never truly be winnable these
might never truly be winnable these
might never truly be winnable these aren’t just superficial moments when we
aren’t just superficial moments when we
aren’t just superficial moments when we bring you these people they aren’t just
bring you these people they aren’t just
bring you these people they aren’t just gratuitous moments the moments of
gratuitous moments the moments of
gratuitous moments the moments of understanding understanding I attacked
understanding understanding I attacked
understanding understanding I attacked accelerate strategy they are moments
accelerate strategy they are moments
accelerate strategy they are moments they tell you about war whether it will
they tell you about war whether it will
they tell you about war whether it will be won or lost there are moments that
be won or lost there are moments that
be won or lost there are moments that decide the fate of Nations so keep
decide the fate of Nations so keep
decide the fate of Nations so keep watching war has changed the law
watching war has changed the law
watching war has changed the law remember this in 2003 maybe some of you
remember this in 2003 maybe some of you
remember this in 2003 maybe some of you don’t but this was a moment that was
don’t but this was a moment that was
don’t but this was a moment that was portrayed as victory victory in Iraq we
portrayed as victory victory in Iraq we
portrayed as victory victory in Iraq we have to avoid triumphalism of reporters
have to avoid triumphalism of reporters
have to avoid triumphalism of reporters this was in a moment of victory
this was in a moment of victory
this was in a moment of victory this wasn’t mission accomplished all
this wasn’t mission accomplished all
this wasn’t mission accomplished all these years later Iraq like Afghanistan
these years later Iraq like Afghanistan
these years later Iraq like Afghanistan still suffers and you still need to hear
still suffers and you still need to hear
still suffers and you still need to hear about it
and as war has changed it’s become a lot
and as war has changed it’s become a lot more dangerous my friends and colleagues
more dangerous my friends and colleagues
more dangerous my friends and colleagues are being kidnapped and killed that
are being kidnapped and killed that
are being kidnapped and killed that array we haven’t seen before some in the
array we haven’t seen before some in the
array we haven’t seen before some in the most brittle and grisly fashion 800
most brittle and grisly fashion 800
most brittle and grisly fashion 800 reporters have been killed more than
reporters have been killed more than
reporters have been killed more than that and the past decade let me take you
that and the past decade let me take you
that and the past decade let me take you to somewhere very special this is the
to somewhere very special this is the
to somewhere very special this is the reporters memorial and bayo France each
reporters memorial and bayo France each
reporters memorial and bayo France each of those stone pillars that you see
of those stone pillars that you see
of those stone pillars that you see represents a year and as you walk
represents a year and as you walk
represents a year and as you walk through that I would it glade in the
through that I would it glade in the
through that I would it glade in the Normandy countryside you notice that the
Normandy countryside you notice that the
Normandy countryside you notice that the list of names of reporters that the died
list of names of reporters that the died
list of names of reporters that the died doing doing a job like year at lengthens
doing doing a job like year at lengthens
doing doing a job like year at lengthens as the years go on it’s a place to stop
as the years go on it’s a place to stop
as the years go on it’s a place to stop and to touch the stone and fuel the
and to touch the stone and fuel the
and to touch the stone and fuel the names of colleagues and friends I
names of colleagues and friends I
names of colleagues and friends I remember on your nail ding house she was
remember on your nail ding house she was
remember on your nail ding house she was an EP photojournalist she liked to drink
an EP photojournalist she liked to drink
an EP photojournalist she liked to drink smoke like a chimney and a filthy laugh
smoke like a chimney and a filthy laugh
smoke like a chimney and a filthy laugh had such humor and such humanity you
had such humor and such humanity you
had such humor and such humanity you could hardly imagine she was killed by a
could hardly imagine she was killed by a
could hardly imagine she was killed by a member of the Afghan security forces in
member of the Afghan security forces in
member of the Afghan security forces in Afghanistan and there’s another name
Afghanistan and there’s another name
Afghanistan and there’s another name that they’re going to be adding to one
that they’re going to be adding to one
that they’re going to be adding to one of the pillows they’re Shiva Gardner she
of the pillows they’re Shiva Gardner she
of the pillows they’re Shiva Gardner she was a fantastically glamorous Kurdish
was a fantastically glamorous Kurdish
was a fantastically glamorous Kurdish journalist in Iraq I met her the day
journalist in Iraq I met her the day
journalist in Iraq I met her the day before she died on the front lines in
before she died on the front lines in
before she died on the front lines in Mosul
Mosul
Mosul she was so glamorous that even in the
she was so glamorous that even in the
she was so glamorous that even in the midst of battle the soldiers were
midst of battle the soldiers were
midst of battle the soldiers were stopping to take selfies and to get her
stopping to take selfies and to get her
stopping to take selfies and to get her autograph then the next day she went
autograph then the next day she went
autograph then the next day she went somewhere important she went to what we
somewhere important she went to what we
somewhere important she went to what we thought was a mass grave belonging to
thought was a mass grave belonging to
thought was a mass grave belonging to the so-called Islamic state we think
the so-called Islamic state we think
the so-called Islamic state we think they buried thousands of bodies there
they buried thousands of bodies there
they buried thousands of bodies there and they left something else there they
and they left something else there they
and they left something else there they left a booby trap and it killed Chifa
left a booby trap and it killed Chifa
left a booby trap and it killed Chifa and badly injured her cameraman a month
and badly injured her cameraman a month
and badly injured her cameraman a month later in Erbil in Iraq I sat in a dark
later in Erbil in Iraq I sat in a dark
later in Erbil in Iraq I sat in a dark auditorium like this with our colleagues
auditorium like this with our colleagues
auditorium like this with our colleagues at her memorial and I listened to grown
at her memorial and I listened to grown
at her memorial and I listened to grown men and
men and
men and and Saab 800 over the past 10 years
and Saab 800 over the past 10 years
and Saab 800 over the past 10 years don’t talk to me about fake news look at
don’t talk to me about fake news look at
don’t talk to me about fake news look at that slow I call them the deadbeat Club
that slow I call them the deadbeat Club
that slow I call them the deadbeat Club these are my friends and colleagues the
these are my friends and colleagues the
these are my friends and colleagues the journalists they are from ITV from Sky
journalists they are from ITV from Sky
journalists they are from ITV from Sky News and of course from the BBC we were
News and of course from the BBC we were
News and of course from the BBC we were all and morsel covering that battle I
all and morsel covering that battle I
all and morsel covering that battle I have to say that pretty much every one
have to say that pretty much every one
have to say that pretty much every one of us will tell you it’s the most
of us will tell you it’s the most
of us will tell you it’s the most dangerous thing that any of us ever did
dangerous thing that any of us ever did
dangerous thing that any of us ever did but you know what we were back again and
but you know what we were back again and
but you know what we were back again and again and again and the reason that we
again and again and the reason that we
again and again and the reason that we went back is well let me just tell you
went back is well let me just tell you
went back is well let me just tell you first of all here’s an interesting point
first of all here’s an interesting point
first of all here’s an interesting point aside from Iraq itself no other country
aside from Iraq itself no other country
aside from Iraq itself no other country sent so many journalists to cover that
sent so many journalists to cover that
sent so many journalists to cover that conflict than Britain and we did that
conflict than Britain and we did that
conflict than Britain and we did that not because British soldiers are dying
not because British soldiers are dying
not because British soldiers are dying there they are there are hardly any
there they are there are hardly any
there they are there are hardly any British soldiers there are a few special
British soldiers there are a few special
British soldiers there are a few special forces some trainers we went because
forces some trainers we went because
forces some trainers we went because this is the story of our time the battle
this is the story of our time the battle
this is the story of our time the battle against the so-called Islamic state and
against the so-called Islamic state and
against the so-called Islamic state and you need to know about it so really this
you need to know about it so really this
you need to know about it so really this is the good news there is good news in
is the good news there is good news in
is the good news there is good news in Britain we’ve created a media which is
Britain we’ve created a media which is
Britain we’ve created a media which is broadly accurate most of the time which
broadly accurate most of the time which
broadly accurate most of the time which is truthful more importantly it
is truthful more importantly it
is truthful more importantly it challenges you pay attention to when you
challenges you pay attention to when you
challenges you pay attention to when you watch the news you should feel angry you
watch the news you should feel angry you
watch the news you should feel angry you should feel moved you should feel second
should feel moved you should feel second
should feel moved you should feel second and really you know those moments when
and really you know those moments when
and really you know those moments when you don’t want to watch anymore keep
you don’t want to watch anymore keep
you don’t want to watch anymore keep watching thank
watching thank
watching thank [Applause]
”
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